Who said “It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it…”?

Verified

Robert H. Jackson. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceAmerican Communications Association v. Douds (1950)

Find American Communications Association v. Douds on Amazon · paid link

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z
“It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error.”
— Robert H. Jackson
VerifiedAmerican Communications Association v. Douds (1950) · evidenceCitizenship

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: American Communications Association v. Douds (1950).

APA

Jackson, R. H. (n.d.). It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/5164-it-is-not-the-function-of-our-government/

MLA

Jackson, Robert H. “It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/5164-it-is-not-the-function-of-our-government/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Jackson, Robert H. “It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/5164-it-is-not-the-function-of-our-government/.

Related quotes

“A strict observance of the written laws is doubtless one of the high virtues of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Citizenship
“The true courage of civilized nations is readiness for sacrifice in the service of the state, so that the individual counts as only one amongst many. The important thing here is not personal mettle but aligning oneself with the universal.”
— Georg Hegel
Citizenship
“Without free, self-respecting, and autonomous citizens there can be no free and independent nations. Without internal peace, that is, peace among citizens and between the citizens and the state, there can be no guarantee of external peace.”
— Vaclav Havel
Citizenship
“Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home, by the former to the world. Our great title is AMERICANS -- our inferior one varies with the place.”
— Thomas Paine
Citizenship

More quotes by Robert H. Jackson

All 2 Robert H. Jackson quotes →